BOARD02051

• Board Meeting Date: 1/10/1954
• Description: Special Meeting
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

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(e) There is a lack of information as to whether a
portion of this claimed increase is already
included in the Hill Report (See p.15) under
the classification of "incidental land".
(f) The question also arises as to what part of
the claimed increase may already be provided
for in the 69,000 acre feet increase allotted
~or expansion of the irrigated area in the
Grand ValJe y and Uncompahgre Federal projects.
(See p.18)
(g) The consumptive use on th~ 86,498 acres would
depend on the basin of location: Green River
.93 acre-feet, ,Gunnison 1.38, Dolores 1.19,
San Juan 1.23. The average is 1.23 and the
total consumptive use due to the claimed increase
would, on this basis, come to 106,390 acre-feet.

(2) Future Addition to Irrigated Area by Private Initiative.
A report in the Grand Junction office-of the Bureau of
Reclamation indicates that there are 40,215 acres of land
on the main stem that are suited for development by private
initia~ive as additions to existing systems. Projecting
this estimate to other basins in accordance with their
areas gives a total of 190,000 acrea of such land. It
is anticipated by this estimate that 173,000 acres will
be developed in the next 30 years.
It should be noted that the 40,215 acre report has
not as yet been approved and released by the Bureau of
Reclamation.

(a)

(b)

Some committee members feel that this estimate is
conjectural. _
No allowance has been made for a possible reduction
in irrigated land due to growths of large towns on
south side of river with oncoming industrialization.
N01~h Park has been closely checked by the Water .
Conservation Board for the past 10 years. ~her.
has bec'n no considerable increase in irrigated acreage.
A cOlmnittee member expressed the opinion that in the
coming industrial transformation, water may find a higher
use than in irrigation of land. -

(c)

(d)

For the Committee

Ivan C. Crawford